Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 709,344. I Patented Sept. I6, I902.

c. w. METCALF. I

ACE-TYLENE GAS GENERATOR; (Applicatjon filed Sept. 9, 1801;)

(No Model.)

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"No. 709,344. I Patented Sept. l6, I902.

v c. w. METCALF.

AGETYLE NE GAS GENERATOR.

\ (Application filed Sept. 9, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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IMVIIQIFIW s I i i i s i s i 5 A Tram/57s C. W. METGALF. A QETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Sept. 9. 1901.)

THE NORRIS P- WITNESSES: "jayw UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES WESLEY METGALF, OF TUCSON, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming of Letters Patent No. 709,344, dated September 16, 1902.

Application filed September 9 1901. Serial No. 74,814. (No model.)

T at whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES WESLEY MET- CALF, a citizenof the United States, and a resident ofTucson, in the county of Pima and Territory of Arizona, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gas Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Q 2

machine embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is ja section on the line 2 f Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is "a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. i is a the water in the gasometer becomes low that circuit 10 This invention relates to improvements in machines for generating gas from calcium carbid forilluminating or other purposes; and the object is to provide a machineof this character thatshall be practically automatic in its operation and in which a pure and clean gas will be formed. 1

I will describe a gas-machine embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation 'of a gassection on the line 4 4 of Fig. 5 and showing the generating mechanism employed. Fig. 5

is a plan view thereof with the carbid-holder covers removed; and Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of one of the automaticallycontrolled water-supply pipes employed.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the fixed portion of a gasometer, and 6 6 the twosection bell thereof, the bell being guided in its vertical movement by yokes 7 on theoppositesides of the bell engaging with guiderods 8, tending upward on the fixed portion) The bell is made in two telescopic sectionsG anditi as a means to enlarge the capacity should an extraamountof gas enter the gasor'neter'. Thetwo'sections are united by a water sealjoinn] as clearly shown in Fig. 1. i y

It is de'sign'e'd'jin thismachine that when it en. For this purpose I elLQ, arranged in electric p ri's'i ng a battery 12, the U uit being connected with a -fifnger 13, attached to thebell,

spi ingfcojntaf buti'nsulated therefrom, and" the wire llis connected with a contact-point 14, attached to one of the rods 8.

The'generator comprises two carbid-holders 15 audi and in each holder are pans 17 and 18, the pan 17 resting on the lower pan 18, and theupper pan has communication with the lower pan through a tube 19, extending upward from the bottom of said upper pan, this tubebeing of sufficient height to retain water in the upper pan to form the gas from the carbid in said upper pan. After the carbid shall have been reduced the water will overflow through the tube 19 and into the-lower pan, thus forming the gas from the carbid 'in said lower pan. It will here be stated that while but one of the generators is to be used at a time, for instance, the carbid in the generator 15 may be turned. into gas, and then the operation will take place in the generator 16, as will be hereinafter described. Each holder is placed within a case comprising an inner wall 20 and an outer wall 21, these walls being spaced apart to form a waterreceiver, into which an annular flange 22 of the cover 23 is designed to pass, thus providing a water seal to prevent the escape of gas. The covers 23 may be held in closed position by any suitable means. The generators are supported on and have communication with a gas-receiving tank 24., and at its central portion or between the generators a partition 25 extends downward, terminating at a short distance above the bottom of the tank, but below the level of water 26 contained in said tank. The water within the tank forms a seal to prevent the gas from passing from one compartment to the other. At one end of the tank is a trough 27, into which a partition 28 extends below the level of the water. From the upper portion of this trough an overflow "or discharge pipe 29 extends. The trough is provided with a cover 30, so that water may be placed within the tank should it become too low or below the bottoms of the partitions 25 or 28. The gas formed in the generators passes upward over the tops of the pans and then passes downward through a scrubber at one side of the generator. This scrubber is designed to clean the gas or to remove a certain portion of the moisture therefrom in passing from the generator into the gas-receiving tank. At one side of each generator a casing 31 is formed,

within which is placed a series of tubes 32,

and in each tube are layers of felt 33. Between the layers of felt are placed layers of sand 34. The lower ends of the tubes 32 enter cups 35, which discharge into the tanks 24.

A water-supply pipe 36 is designed to discharge water onto the carbid in the generator 15, and a supply-pipe 37 is provided for the generators 16. Each supply-pipe is provided with a removable nozzle 37, and connected to the stems of the valves of the nozzles by means of arms 38 are float-valves 39'. Therefore as the water rises in an upper pan it will move the float-valve thereof upward, closing the valve of the nozzle, consequently cutting off the supply of water until the level thereof falls sufficiently low to permit the float-valve to open the supply-valve. The object in making the nozzle removable from the supply-pipes is to permit upon removing said nozzles the removal of the carbid-pans when it is desired to place new carbid there in. As here shown, the nozzle 37 has a jointsection 40, adapted to engage over the horizontally-disposed end of the supply-pipe when it is locked in this position by means of a yoke 41, pivoted to the part 40 and engaging with pins 42 on the supply-pipe. A suitable packing may be placed between the abutting ends of the pipe and nozzle.

The supply-pipe of the gasometer consists of a section 43, extended upward in the gasometer and above the level of the water contained therein, and a horizontal section 44, which leads to the fixed portion of the gasometer and has branch connections 45 and 46 with the gas-tank 24. As here shown,these branches communicate with the interior of the said tank at opposite sides of the partiend connects with a pipe 55, having its ends 56 and 57 leading into the generators. Within the gasometer the pipe 54 has upwardlyextending members 58 and 59. The branch or member 58 has a large bore, through which water may freely pass for supplying the generators, but the member 59 has a very small opening or bore and is lower than the pipe 58. These members or branches 58 and 59 are controlled, respectively, by swinging valves 60 and 61. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the valve 60 has hinged swinging connections 62 with a platform 63 on the upper end of the member 58, and it is held normally against the upper end of the said member or pipe 58 by means of a weight 64 at the free This end of the body portion. -At the opposite end an extension 65 is pivotally'connected to saidbody portion. As here shown, this extension 65 is so hinged as to swing readily upward with relation to the body portion, but to maintain a position parallel to the body portion when pressure is exerted on the upper side of said extension. The extension 65 is prevented from moving too far upward relatively to the body portion by means of a spring yielding finger 66, attached to a cross-bar 67, mounted on said body portion. The valve 61 for controlling the-inlet to the pipe or member 59 is mounted to swing on the upper end of said pipe or member and has an extension 61,

54 and 55 and into either one of the generate ing devices. It will be understood that the main supply of water is through the pipe 58 and thatthe pipe 59 acts as a switch and permits but a small amount of water to enter.

As here shown,

When the gasometer-bell moves nearly to its lowermost position, the bar 68 will pass ,over the end of the extension 65, permitting the valve 60 to move to. its closing position, so that upon an upward movement of the bell and after a new supply of water is provided to the gasometer the said bar will engage against the under surface of the extension 65, causing it to swing freely upward, as indioated by the dotted liney in Fig. 3, so that the bar may pass the same ,on its upward movement. This valve 61 is provided with a closing-weight 69 at its free end. When the ICC generator is out of operation and there is no gas in the holder, the bar 68 rests on the end 61- of the valve 61, so that under such condi- IIO tions the pipe 59 is open, and when it is deis generated to lift the bell above the valve 61 and thereafter the valve 60 controls the watersupply. When all the carbid is used up'in a generator, the water rises therein and the supply is shut off by the float 39 and the gas-bell then sinks down past the valve 60 and. opens the pipe 59, so when the valve in the next generator is opened the water will flow through the pipe 59. As the opening of the pipe 59 is small, it will feed but a small amount of water, and thus prevent too sudden an-evolution of gas, as would be the case should the valve 60 be opened wide at the outset.

A pipe 70 for conveying gas to the point of consumption-such, for instance, as to a gasburner or to a cooking-stoveleads downward from a point above the level of the water and thence outward through the gasometer and connects with a pipe 71. Within the has communication with the pipes 70 and 71.

On the shell 73 is a removable cap 74, from which a discharge-pipe 75 leads. This cap 74 is made removable, so that access may be I had to the interior of the valve for cleaning the same. The pipe 74 extends upward in the casing and above the level of water contained in said casing, and surrounding this pipe 74 within the casing is a shell 76, connected atits lower end to the bottom of the casing and closed at its top. It has, however, openings 77 at the bottom. In case of an excessive pressure of gas, the same will pass upward and out through the upper end of the pipe 74, and thus by exerting its pressure on the surface of the water contained in the casing 73 will force said water upward in the casing. at the outer side of the shell 76, consequently removing the water from the interior of the shell, permittingthe gas to pass out through the opening 77 and thence upward and outthrough the pipe 75. Y Attached to one side of the fixed portion 5 of the gasometer is an overflow-pipe 78, the

upper end of which communicates with the interior of the said fixed portion of the gasometer through an opening 79. From the lower end of the overflow-pipe 78 a tube 80 leads and is designed to discharge into the'pipe 29. As here shown, a funnel 81 is attached to said pipe 29 underneath the lower or outlet end of the tube 80. 7

The operation is as follows: Assuming that gas is to be generated in the generator 15, the valve of the branch 57 must be closed, while the valve of the branch 56 is opened; Water passing through the supply-pipe 47 will enter the gasometer through the pipe member 49 until a sufficient supply is placed within the gasometer and, as before mentioned, water will enter the generator or into the upper pan ,of the generator 15. The generated gas will pass through the scrubber into the tank 24 and thence out through the pipes 44 and 43 into the gasometer-bell and of course will cause the said bell to rise. When the gas in the gasometer-bell becomes partly exhausted, the said bell by moving downward will open the valve 60, as before mentioned, permitting waclaim as new and desire ter from the gasometer to pass into the generator. Of course when the carbid in the generator 15 becomes exhausted the valve in the branch 56 is to be closed and the valve in the branch 57 opened, and thus gas may be generated in the generator 16. Any moisture that passes into the pipe 43 with the gas may be condensed and drip back into the gas tank 24.

Having thus described my invention, I to secure by Letters Patent r 1. In a gas-machine, a gasometer, a generator, .a pipe providing communication between the gasometer and generator, the said pipe at its portion within the gasometer being provided with two upward extensions, one of said extensions having a bore or inlet smaller than the bore or inlet of the other extension, valves controlling the inlets, and means carried by the gasometer-bell for. opening the valves one after the other, substantially as specified.

2. In a gas-machine, a gasometer, a generator, a pipe providing communication between the gasometer and generator, the said pipe atits portion within the gasometer, being provided with two upward extensions, one of said extensions having a bore or inlet smaller than the bore or inlet of the other of said extensions, swinging valves controlling the inlets, and means carried by the gasometer-bell for opening the valves, substantially as specified.

3. In a gas-machine, a generator com prising a carbid-holder for receiving pans or the like, a water-sealed casing in which the holder is arranged, means for controlling the supply of water to the holder, and a scrubber in one side of the holder through which the gas is designed to pass, substantially as specified.

4. In a gas-machine, a carbid-holder, a water-supply pipe adjacent the said holder, a

cover for said holder extending over said pipe,

a removable nozzle for the pipe adapted to name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES WESLEY METOALF. Witnesses:

JOHN R. NEVINs, STUART F. FORBES. 

